The next few days went about the same as the first three in the city. He still had not heard from his father or companions, so he was beginning to get worried. However, he had Cho to happily distract him from all his cares and worries. Just as he was getting ready to go to dinner with her on his final night in the city when the messenger hawk flew into his room. The note read that his companions were back at camp and his father was eagerly awaiting Lu Ten's return. Lu Ten, already running late, had the hawk stay in his room, and he would reply when he got back.
After dinner, however, they were not returning to the inn right away. Cho insisted she show him her favorite spot in the whole of Ba Sing Se. She led him to the very edge of the city where there was actually a grassy hill, dotted with trees. They hiked to the top of it, and the evening sun warmed them to their bones. Cho had brought a blanket with her, and Lu Ten laid it out for them. They leaned against one of the trees. She allowed him to put his arm around her and she snuggled into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Lu Ten could hardly remember a time where he was happier. A gentle breeze rolled by, and a group of leaves swirled around them before being carried off. It was so peaceful that Lu Ten actually began to hum.
"What are you humming?" Cho asked.
"Just a song my dad used to sing," he answered.
"Sing it for me," she requested.
He could deny her nothing, so he cleared his throat and began to sing. "Leaf from the vine/Falling so slow/Like fragile, tiny shells/Drifting in the foam/Little soldier boy/Come marching home/Brave soldier boy/Comes marching home."
"That's a lovely song," she said.
"Thank you," he returned. "He and I were very close."
"I'm sorry you lost him," she said. "Did you lose any other family because of the Fire Nation?"
"Well, my mother died when I was very young, so I never really knew her," he told her. That much was true. It felt good to tell her something honest, even if it was in the context of a lie.
"That's terrible," she said.
"I had two cousins too," he continued. "They live in another village, so they are okay. One was like a little brother to me in a way, but I haven't seen him in a few years…he's probably grown a lot. He's got a good heart, though. He'll be a great man when he grows up. The little girl, though, she's a bit off. Maybe I'll run into them again one day."
"Why didn't you go to them?" Cho asked. "I mean, surely that would be better than coming to a totally new place."
"I didn't want to burden them," he answered. "Besides, I'm glad I didn't go to them. I met you."
She giggled. "I'm glad you came here too. I'm so happy we met. I know it's only been a few days, but I've really enjoyed getting to know you."
"What about your family?" questioned Lu Ten, unsure how to respond to her words. "Can you tell me about them?"
"Well, my father owns the hotel, as you know," she began. "And I lost my mother when I was nine. She was from the Southern Water Tribe, and she was on her way to visit home, but the ship she was travelling on was taken down by a Fire Nation fleet or something. Anyway, my father was devastated. My sister had already married and moved out, so I felt kind of obligated to stay with him. So, that's why I've never married or anything. It's been lonely, actually. My friends all fell in love and married, and some of them even have children now. No one really has time for me anymore."
"I have time for you," he said gently, and he took her chin in his thumb and forefinger and he kissed her. Lu Ten had never kissed someone like this. There was so much understanding and comfort and dare he name it – love. He didn't know what exactly it was, but Cho made him want to burst into song and dance in the rain and he even began to envision a future with her. They spent the rest of the day there, and watched the sunset on that hill, talking, laughing, and kissing. They bonded as if they had known each other forever.
When it got dark, they went back to the Firelight Fountain. The lanterns, when lit, made the water gleam in the low glow. It was really beautiful.
"I'm so happy I could see all this with you," he said to her.
She wrinkled her nose. "Could? You've still got so much more to learn!"
He laughed. "Well, I'm lucky to have such a great teacher."
"You really are," she agreed, and kissed him again. "Now, walk your teacher home before her father has a fit."
"You got it," he said, and got to his feet. He helped her up, they collected their things, and headed back to the inn, arm in arm.
On the way back, it got rather dark. Cho was talking, and Lu Ten was not ready for the night to end, so he decided to take a detour instead of going straight home. However, since he didn't know the city well enough, he took a wrong turn, it seemed, and they were in unfamiliar territory.
"This isn't right," Cho observed. "We should have passed through the market by now."
Lu Ten looked around. "Yeah," he said. "Something doesn't sit right with me."
Out of the shadows, three large figures appeared. Lu Ten tensed up, but did not take a stance to fight. He could not reveal himself to these thugs or even to Cho.
"What are two little kids doing out so late?" teased the first one. He had shaggy hair and a large gap between his front teeth.
"I dunno," a second chimed in. This one was tall and skinny, and had a long beard. "Perhaps we should teach them a lesson."
The third laughed, but said nothing. He cracked his knuckles in a menacing way. He was the largest of them all – hulking big with a blank expression on his wide face.
"We don't want any trouble," Lu Ten said.
They sniggered.
"No trouble, he says," mocked the skinny one.
The gap-toothed one spoke next. "You could just leave that pretty girl with us, and we'll save you any trouble."
Cho gasped, but Lu Ten squeezed her hand comfortingly.
"Sorry, no deal," he said, glowering at them.
The gap-toothed one took Cho's face in his hand. She squeaked as she was yanked away from her lover and pulled into this thug's grasp. Lu Ten acted quickly. He took hold of the man's wrist.
"You really don't wanna do that," he warned.
"Oh," the thug laughed as he sniffed a bit of Cho's hair. "I really do."
Cho whimpered helplessly, and struggled to get free, to no avail. Lu Ten didn't know what to do. He had to help Cho, but one against three was not good odds. If he could fire bend, it wouldn't be a problem, but he knew he couldn't do that. To reveal his identity would be suicide.
"I'm warning you," Lu Ten continued. "You don't want to cross me."
"Who do you think you are?" questioned the skinny one. "You don't scare us, little man. We have the girl, now be on your way."
"I don't think so," Lu Ten said practically under his breath. He inhaled deeply before taking a fighting stance. He took one swing at the skinny one, but the large one grabbed his fist. The gap tooth tossed Cho to the ground and took Lu Ten's other hand. Together, they pinned the prince to the ground while the skinny one unsheathed a knife, and raised it high. Lu Ten squirmed and writhed, but he couldn't break free. Cho began to cry.
Lu Ten locked eyes with her. "I'm sorry," he said.
With that, he brought his knees to his chest, aimed his feet at the skinny one, and with a kick, shot fire at him. Then he used his hands to set the other two alight. They all screamed and stumbled backward. Then Lu Ten raised himself up to his full height, walked over to the gap tooth, and grabbed him by the collar.
"You will regret this," he said, and formed a flame dagger in his hands. He mimicked the earlier motion of the skinny one, and prepared to strike.
"No!" cried Cho. "Let them go."
Lu Ten glared at the man, but stopped the flames. "You will tell no one what you saw."
They all nodded like the cowards they were and then scampered off back into the shadows.
Lu Ten and Cho were left alone. Cho was weeping even more now, and she narrowed her eyes at him. Those eyes which ones looked at him adoringly were now icy and disdainful. She was angry, but he could also see that she was hurt.
"Cho," he began, but she cut him off.
"Don't!" she warned. "You're Fire Nation?! You've been lying to me?!"
"Please, just let me explain," he begged, and reached out to touch her, but she slapped him in his face. Being royalty, he had never been struck before; not like that, anyway.
"Who are you, Ping?" she demanded. "If that's even your name."
He sighed and his heart dropped. This was over for him.
"I am Prince Lu Ten of the Fire Nation," he said, deciding full honesty was the only way to go at this point. "I am the son of General Iroh, and I came to Ba Sing Se with the intent of finding a weak point for my father to get through and take the city. I'm actually supposed to return to camp tomorrow."
Her eyes seemed to get wider with every word. Without warning, she slapped him again, this time on his other cheek. Both stung now.
"How dare you!" she cried. "You let me believe that you cared for me, when really you only needed my information! Not only that, but you came here and lived among people you planned to destroy! You're despicable!" Her eyes were filled to the brim with fresh tears that leaked out and trailed down her cheek. Without warning, she turned on her heel and fled.
A few hours later, Lu Ten returned to the inn and went to Cho's room. He wasn't sure if she'd be asleep or not, but it was his last night in the city, and he had to make things okay with her. He knocked three times on her door. A feeling of anxiety rushed over him as he pondered whether or not she would accept him being there. Thankfully, she opened the door. To his surprise, she did not slam it in his face.
"You want to explain yourself?" she asked.
He nodded. "May I come in?"
She nodded and opened the door wider. He took a couple steps inside, but did not make himself comfortable. She stood in front of him, her hands on her hips, and her expression both furious and expectant. Then Lu Ten got on his knees and bowed to her. His face was inches from the floor. He had never bowed like this to anyone. Not even his grandfather. He absurdly thought of what his grandfather would say if he saw his heir in this position. How disgraceful it was for a prince to grovel before a peasant woman.
"Cho," he began. "I am so, so sorry for the lies that I've told you. Know that my feelings for you are real and that I do not intend to tell my father any part of what I've found here. I do not expect your forgiveness…I don't deserve it. Just know that when I return to my camp, my heart will remain here: in this city, in this inn, in your hands."
He dared to look up at her. She was expressionless.
"My," she sighed. "What a burden it is to hold the heart of the future Fire Lord in my hands."
"Ouch," he said, and got to his feet. "Anyway, I wanted to make things somewhat okay. I have made my apologies. That's all I can do, I suppose. I'll leave you now, and I'll never see you again, if that's what you wish."
Her expression softened. "I still care about you, Lu Ten," she said. "I just don't know if I can trust you. You are the future Fire Lord. You're the reason so many people are suffering. And you lied to me. Yet, you were so sweet to me, and we had a great time together. It's hard to reconcile all that."
"I understand," he replied, still hurt. It really was over. She was going to turn him out and he would leave her behind forever.
"But you did say that you're sorry," she continued. "That counts for a lot. On the other hand, even if I did forgive you, we couldn't really be together. You're royalty, and I'm just the daughter of an innkeeper – and a poor one at that."
"Cho, that doesn't matter," he argued.
"You know it does," she returned.
He thought for a moment. "I've sort of had an idea for a while."
"What idea?" she questioned.
"There's a messenger hawk in my room," he explained. "I could write to my father as an Earth King General saying that I've been captured and killed. My father will more than likely abandon his siege of the city."
"That would devastate him," she practically whispered, shocked at the idea.
"Yes," he said. "But he would understand."
She thought for a moment. "What about the throne? This means your father's line will end."
"Without me, the throne will go to Zuko. He's my cousin that I told you about. He's a good kid with a big heart. I believe he could end the war."
She heaved a sigh. "Okay, I'll do this with you. I just hate for you to give up your life for me."
"Not for you," he said. "For us."
She smiled and nodded.
The next day, they implemented their plan. Lu Ten wrote out the message and sent it along. It must have worked, because days later, Iroh surrendered and withdrew his troops, despite getting past the outer wall. The Fire Nation abandoned their assault on Ba Sing Se, and it was said that the reason was that the general was so heartbroken, he could no longer go on. It tore at Lu Ten for years, but once he and Cho were married and started a family, he thought of his father less. He knew that the throne would be in good hands with his father and then Zuko. Eventually, he almost forgot the war entirely as he lived blissfully in Ba Sing Se.